Method and means for



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H. TILL METHOD AND MEANS FOR CREATING A HYDRAULIC HEAD Filed Dec. 9. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l a W TORNEYZ.

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TILL METHOD AND MEANS FOR CREATING A HYDRAULIC HEAD Filed Dec. 9. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 TTORNEYC.

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HENRY TILL, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CREATING A HYDRAULIC HEAD.

This invention relates to hydraulics and more especially to hydraulic power apparatus and has for an object to provide a method and means for creating a very substantial positive hydraulic head which may be used for the generation of power through a water turbine or in other manner, and for other purposes.

The method comprising accelerating velocity of a running, open stream of water ad then decelerating flow in a spreading channel and thereby establishing a level lower than the normal level of the stream. In other words, by my invention 1 materially restrict or choke a running volume of water, confine its flow to a narrow open conduit and then cause the constricted water to pass into a spreading open top passage with the result that there is a very substantial depression produced in the throat where the water enters into the spreading discharge passage.

An object is to create a useful head in an open flowing body of water without causing a material rise in the normal upstream level, as is the result of an impounding dam. Advantages I gain are that there is no overflow of back country by impounded water, and a large river or a large, swift tidal current which could not possibly be dammed up, can be made the source of useful power.

Another object is to make available the inherent power of a very large cross-section area of a running stream at a predetermined point. The power of flowing water is, generally speaking, but little. However, as the power increases as the cube of the velocity of the stream a large crosssectional area of a swift current holds great power development possibilities by this method.

My invention, appropriately called a fall creator is based upon the fact that if a passage or channel (open at its top) with upright, longitudinally converging entrance side walls and longitudinally divergent discharge side walls is placed in a stream, the surface of the water in the passage, instead of being humped up by the narrowing of the passage, as one might expect, is greatly depressed at the narrowest part, or throat, and its velocity greatly increased at that point and the water again rises to approximately the same level it had before on reaching the down stream end of the passage.

The lowest portion of the created depression I utilize as the lower level of a head of Application filed December 9, 1925. Serial no. 74,374.

water taken from the normal level of the stream, the difference-head being used on a suitable turbine whose tail water is discharged or inducted into the constricted threat at or below the greatest point or zone of depression.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following specification of method and apparatus incorporating the invention; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the spirit, scope and principle of my invention. Figure 1 is a perspective of an embodiment of apparatus as installed in a tidal currrent as in inlet from the ocean to a bay, or in a tidal river.

Figure 2 is a vertical section and graph indicating the formation taken by Water in action in apparatus of the form of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section showing a typical motor and turbine wheel installation, with its discharge tube leading to the throat.

Figure 4; is a plan of an embodiment for use in a unidirection stream.

Figure 5 is a perspective of a fall creator for installation in aunidirection river.

Figure 6 is a perspective of a moored, floating power plant for a tidal river, ocean straits current, or other deep running water body.

The apparatus of Fig. 1 for creating a head in a tidal. .stream consists of two sets of walls 22 and 3-3, each set having its walls preferably vertical and converging gradually toward. a central and narrow threat 5. The entire length of the passage formed between the walls is open at the top and has a smooth and perfectly unobstructed bottom 6 to avoid scouring of the bottom and breaking of continuity of water flow and eliminating surface rising from bottom distortion. In other words, whatever its crosssection, the bottom lines are longitudinally uniplanar.

The sides 2 and the sides 3 form duplicate passage mouths for production of equal and similar effects whether the tide is running into the bay inlet or is running out, thus producing in the throat 5 a depression P, as clearly outlined in Fig. 2. Incoming water is greatly increased in speed of flow at the throat while the water in the discharging side of the passage loses its speed as it leaves the throat.

Obviously the water body beyond the outpouring side has a normal leveland this tends to en 1' the far end of the outlet side but does not pass in toward the throat 5 against racing water from the throat in sufficientvolume or speed to prevelit the creation of a very material depression'or pocket P in the throat. Therefore, a positive head is created equal to the difference between the highest water level at the inflow side and the bottom of'the pocket P". i 'If, no\v,high level *water he turned into the penstock' orintake I? of tnrbihelA; Fig. 3 and if the ta ii ti [be T be led into the throat 5"ata point below"the"pocket' P thenthe differential head will. be utilized in the rurb ine'i "l n. Fig. 1 a causeway C throws all the in comingor outgoing water through the fall creator. Thepenstoekopens to both sides of the causeway so as to take water fronr th'e highersideat tidereversal.

Figure 4 shows; inplan, an arrangement adapted to a 'stleam'runn'ifng only in one di motion with a lowna'tura'l fall. "In this case a'da-m D gives a small head from'whieh water flow is accelerated as it'pa'sse'sinto throat 5; In this arrangementonlv -a spreadingolltlet 3 is requiredl The nstock Iis open only upstream to obtain hlghest head water "for turbineA.-*

Another form of apparatus is shown in Fig; 5' which is 1 adapted for a large "uriidirection stream where a dam is notvallowed or is undesirable. In this typetheintake walls 2 have a water pen 10"at the mouth and the apparatus-is stationary. -The'"tail tube Tof the-turbine planbleads' to the th t 5 HI, g

- instances where ample stream .is available-as-inan-ocean'straits or large deep river but where it is'impracticable or not allowable to placc a stationarypower plant or fall creator of; the kind hem disclosed a floating equipment may be" opportune. Hence I -s'how, in Fig. 6, a fallcreator as combined with a floating-vessel V which-may "be-"suitably anchored, or inother manner held, out in *the stream, which may be unidirectional, or tidalb One or "more power units may be provided on'the vessel and generat'ed power (electricity) conducted away" by a dable" D.

Thecha1acter of the device an d; many suitable locations permit installations of: very large dimensions, the larger the installation, the less the proportional loss by friction;

-A 'numbenOfrth fall creators may be installed, in spaced relation, side hy-side' 'in a very large stream, or tidal current, or "tl1cy may be" arranged in alignment along the trea ..j .,.,I.,"L Vi: if

Ibis-understood,that only such volume of water willfbe passed through the turbine as can be carried away-from the throat'byth'e inherent power Oftha-t POItiOII of the stream entering the device and as will not destroy out-materially backing upthe'upstream level by converging the flowing stream section intoafnarroiv open topped throat and then passing the water from the throat in a spreading openbody"whereby to cause a pocketie be createdat "the'th'roat and betw'eeiithe leveifohthe upstreainside and the level of the downstream such providing a positivehead as between the higherle'vel and the bee-mar the pocket :iiicl'dhclridtihg water irito the throat at tile zone of water depression.

The'inethodfof making the power of a large cross sctional area of a "i-unnih stream available for "driving a turbine, which consis'ts of convergin the cr osssection to a harrowbpeh top time ail "then spreading theeross-se'etion frtinithe" roat whereby to create a poeketor depresses level 'between the" converging passagefand the" spreading Inissagt, alI"withbut -'mate'1- ria'lly raising theilpstreanilevl and ind'ucting an; "water" from are "turbines into "at zbne of greatest surface depression.

31"The method "of creating 'a'. hydraulic head which consists of accelerating a flowing" body' offwater and "passing'it t rough an open top throat withoutfiow obst alon'gthe' bottom and de elerating" ere "veloity bypassing it into'a 'spr'eidingidischarge passagewherebyto cause sde rfes sibn in thewater level, and conducting we?- ter from the higher level'intoa turbine and discharging from the turbineinto the throat at the" poi t ofgreatestdepressitin;- 4:; 'Appaii'atus for utilizing the power of a large area of cross-section of stream "withoutnnaterially" backing up "the upstream level, comprising passage fo'r"'conver 'ing the flowing strea'ni section, a narrow op'h topped throat'atthe smaller end of the peesage, 'and 'a' spreading passage le'ading"froin V the thro'at,"wherebyto cause pocket to e created at the throat and betwee'dthe le v l of th'e upstream side and the level of the downstream 'side', su'ch pocket providing a positive head as betweenthe higher level and'the' bottom of thep'ocke't andma'ns 'for induct'i'ngvs' ater into the 'zone of'grea'test'de hiessioirof Water.

The method of increasing head in 1 a streamywhi'ch has a substantially uniform levehby converging st1'ea'inwater into'ti ii riperrtopcoiiduit and assing the 'wateif from the converged stream "immediately into a spreading discharge; whereby to establish a pocket or "depression in the surfacebfth'e water 'between the c'o'nv'er ed part" and the divergedor'spread part; the depth ojf depression constituting a head, and utilizing the head by inducting Water from a level which is higher than the lowest point of depression.

6. The method of producing a useful hydraulic head in a running body of water by creating a depression in its surface between level higher than the bottom of the depression, and carrying the inducted Water away by the running body.

HENRY TILL. 

